I’m so sick of paying high ass cable bills and there is never anything on TV!! What a waste of money. Don’t get me wrong, I like to watch good movies and there are a few shows I really enjoy but most of the time the TV watches me. Something’s gotta give. I am giving away almost $150 a month to SAY I have cable. So I looked up all the ways we both can beat the box. The cable hustle ends today:
The Options:
- Hulu Plus – $7.99
There are plenty of TV episodes that air on Hulu Plus the day after airing on network TV. Hulu Plus is probably the fastest airing streaming service. For a TV watcher this is your best bet.
- Sling TV – $20
Sling TV is owned by Dish Network, but you DON’T need to be a Dish subscriber. With Sling TV you can stream live cable TV channels, which includes channels like CNN, AMC, TBS and ESPN. Sling TV does not have major networks, such as ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX or PBS. Did I mention they give you sports? Thats right, ESPN, ESPN2 and for 5 bucks more you can get ESPNU, SEC Network and more. Hopefully they have their stuff together since their services crashed during the NCAA Final Four.
- Netflix – $9.99
Everyone knows about Netflix. And most people have an account or has access to an account. If you dont know what it is, it is a service that will send DVDs to your home and a streaming service. It has commercial free shows and movies including their own original shows and movies, surprisingly they are pretty good. The original shows include “Orange Is The New Black” and “House of Cards”. With Netflix you give up live shows, news, or even watching a show in somewhat realtime. Netflix uploads shows at the conclusion of the season sometimes months after.
- HBO Now – $14.99
Previously you needed cable and HBO to stream HBO movies, shows and documentaries but now the services is free standing. If you like HBO original shows such as “Game of Thrones” and also enjoy movies, this is a must have.
- CBS All Access – $6
This service will give you access to the news and all CBS shows. If you are big into shows like “NCIS” or “The Big Bang Theory” this service will be a must have for you.
- Amazon Prime – $99/year
Although the library of TV and movies for Amazon Prime does not have as much as Netflix and Hulu Plus, but it has other benefits that may entice you to purchase. The extra perks include access to Amazon’s streaming music service, free two-day shipping on eligible items and free same-day delivery in eligible ZIP codes.
- Old Fashion Antenna – $1
I bet you thought they don’t make these anymore, right? Well they do and you will spend less than a buck a month for EXTREMELY basic cable but with the right antenna, you will have access to live shows, news, award shows and some sports.
- Showtime Now – $8.99
Much like HBO Now, Showtime gives you the same options to stream your favorite shows like ‘House of Lies” (one of my favorites), movies and more.
- KlowdTV – Starting at $5
First great thing about KlowdTV is that you can pay as little as five bucks for what they offer or you can pay more and get more channels. Basically KlowdTV allows you to stream live TV. Here is the catch they won’t have your CNN’s or ESPNs as of yet but you will get Revolt and more. If you speak Spanish, they have a ton of Spanish language channels and shows.
- Sports Options
Each major sports league offers some sort of streaming service for around $100/year.
Next time we will talk about the various combinations of streaming services for various types of TV watchers and the overall cost for what you may want. Also, I will be getting to device options to stream these services on your TV.
Resources
http://time.com/money/3963077/streaming-packages-cord-cutting-cable/
